Alleged rapist nabbed by police in Upper Darby
UPPER DARBY » Police have arrested and charged a township man with multiple counts of sexual and physical assault after he allegedly barricaded a woman inside an apartment for two days while he raped and beat her.
Michael Kotwicki, 22, of the 200 block of South Oak Avenue, is charged with rape, sexual assault, strangulation, terroristic threats, stalking, simple assault, reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of children, false imprisonment and harassment, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit of probable cause filed by Upper Darby Detective Matthew Rowles.
According to the affidavit, police responded to the Oak Avenue apartment about 9:18 a.m. Sunday after a receiving a call from the alleged victim’s mother.
Responding officers encountered a red chair partially blocking the doorway, according to the affidavit. They spoke to the alleged victim, who asked that police remove her boyfriend, Kotwicki, because she did not feel safe.
Kotwicki allegedly told the officers he would grab a bag and shoes and be on his way, but then jumped out of a third-story window and ran off, according to the affidavit. The woman then broke down into tears and described the events of the previous two days to Officer James Hoback, the affidavit says.
During a subsequent interview with Rowles at police headquarters, the woman said she met Kotwicki in October and that he had become physically abusive towards her and her 13-month-old child about two weeks into the relationship.
The affidavit notes that the alleged victim had visible injuries to her face, neck and thigh, including scratches, bruises and marks in different stages of healing at the time of the interview.
On Jan. 15, the woman, Kotwicki and the child had gone to a park, where Kotwicki allegedly slapped her face and dragged her to their vehicle. He ordered her to put her son in the car and stood by the door preventing her from fleeing, then locked the doors and windows once she was inside before driving back to the apartment, according to the affidavit.
That same day, Kotwicki began to come on to the alleged victim romantically, but she told him not to touch her and resisted his advances, according to the affidavit.
“Kotwicki ignored her resistance and forced her to the floor where he had forcible intercourse with her all while she was telling him no,” according to the affidavit. “Kotwicki placed his hand over her mouth and pushed her head into the pillows.”
Between Jan. 15 and Jan. 17, Kotwicki allegedly held the woman against her will in the apartment. He took her phone and barricaded the front door with a red chair to prevent her from contacting anyone else or leaving, according to the affidavit.
Kotwicki threatened to assault and kill the woman and her child, the affidavit says, threatened to break the alleged victim’s teeth and threatened to bind her with wire ties, gag her, and place her in the closet.
“Kotwicki ignored her resistance and forced her to the floor where he had forcible intercourse with her all while she was telling him no. Kotwicki placed his hand over her mouth and pushed her head into the pillows.”
— affidavit of probable cause filed by Upper Darby
Detective Matthew Rowles
The affidavit says Kotwicki also slapped, punched and struck her in the head and face over the course of her imprisonment in the apartment, sometimes while she was holding her child. One of these blows caused the alleged victim to fall and strike her head on a crib, according to the affidavit.
The alleged victim attempted to escape at about 1:30 a.m. Jan. 17, but Kotwicki chased her, caught her and covered her mouth as he dragged her and the child back into the apartment, according to the affidavit.
At about 8 a.m. that same morning, the woman noticed Kotwicki had fallen asleep and was able to get to her cell phone and text her mother, telling her to call the police.
The Upper Darby Police Department put out an alert on its Facebook page Sunday asking for public assistance in locating Kotwicki and announced that he had been apprehended Tuesday night.